Simple Auction Checkout: How to run a manual auction checkout. No software (or drama) required.

Are you excited about your auction sales, only to be MORTIFIED by the long lines and lack of organization at checkout? “It was horrible,” Auction Chairs tell me. “Checkout was a MESS!”

When lines form and disorganization erupts at checkout, frustrated bidders may leave without paying. It forces you to spend time following-up with them, and often takes weeks to figure out what went wrong. This is NOT how you want your event to end.

Auction checkout procedures are a process. Like any process, you have to follow the steps. It’s a bit like baking a cake. It’s not hard to do, if you follow the recipe. You beat the butter and sugar … add the eggs … and then slowly add dry ingredients.

The recipe for a smooth checkout begins in the weeks PRIOR to the auction when you PACKAGE ITEMS and PRINT BID SHEETS. Then you set-up your registration area. Then you file bid sheets and organize items for winning bidders to pick up.

In this webinar, you’ll learn the steps — the recipe, if you will — for a no-fail auction checkout.

Once you get key pieces in place, auction checkout is painless and fast. Just follow the steps. Soon you’ll enjoy a streamlined event … collecting all the money, watching buyers leave with their merchandise (so you don’t haul items back), and leaving the venue early enough to enjoy a celebratory cocktail with your co-chairs.

Through photos taken at EVERY STEP of an auction checkout, you’ll watch the process unfold. You’ll learn:

How to select the best person to oversee auction checkout (Auction checkout CANNOT be managed by the Auction Chair.)

The checklist of tasks to oversee in the weeks leading up to the auction.

How to design your bid sheets. (I go one step further. You’ll be receiving my bid sheet that auto-tabulates the increments and numbers for you. You’ll insert the value of the item, and the bid sheet is auto-created! Print it out and you’re ready to make money.)

How to set up and staff registration and checkout areas

The number of volunteers you’ll need for each checkout task.

Suggestions on where to get forms printed

Streamlining the process for efficiency at night’s end.

Optional equipment you may want to rent to make the process easier

Best practices I’ve collected from working hundreds of benefit auctions, Florida-to-California.

Think about it: No more headaches! No more angry bidders! No more 100s of phone calls to follow up with payment!

What you receive:

A DVD of the live webinar (92 minutes)

A transcript of the call (Your checkout team should review either the DVD and/or transcript a few times before your auction every year.)

A paper copy of the slide presentation

Written volunteer job descriptions, responsibilities, and estimated time commitment for each member of the checkout team

4 Excel-based silent auction bid forms that automatically tally increments (and Guaranteed Purchase, if used) for you. Two of these are “half-sheet” size and two are “full sheet” size. Starting bids and increments are set and tweaked.

Live auction clerking sheet

An Excel-based procurement tracking database (with all my tricks “built in”) to help you manage incoming donations like a pro.

An Excel-based guest list spreadsheet to use during registration to alleviate problems in checkout.

Sherry, I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your “Simple Auction Checkout” webinar. Our school has been using auction software for auction management for years and I wasn’t sure what I would take away from the class.

You simplified and demystified the whole registration and checkout process for me. In fact, this year, we are planning to implement a part of your manual procedure in an effort to speed up our check-in process. Thank you!”

This training is for you if ….

You’ve got a new team of people running checkout and need to get them trained.

You’re a “newbie.” Maybe this is your first nonprofit auction, or the first auction you’ve helped plan.

You have auction software … or not. Over the years, a number of auction planners WITH software use this webinar. When I’ve asked them why, they share that their software vendor is good at training them in the software, but fails to help them understand how checkout runs with onsite activities. (“When we saw your photos of the volunteers arranging secure checkout,” one said, “we were like, ‘Ah ha!””)

About your presenter

Last year alone, benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar worked at over 50 benefit auctions in 11 different states. Her clients include charities that use software to manage their auctions, and charities that get by using Excel and Word documents. She’s taught a number of her clients how to run a simple, manual checkout process that serves them for many years. As an expert teacher and national educator on all-things benefit auction oriented, Sherry will give you all the tools necessary to lay a solid foundation for your checkout process.

What’s the investment?

$87 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * Click the button below to get started on mastering the simple checkout! * * *

The Simple Auction Checkout course was an absolute life saver for our auction gala. Our auction check out went from a disaster to flawless when we implemented Sherry’s process that she provides in this material.

Very short lines, happy guests, and smiling volunteers – I couldn’t have asked for more!

This past weekend I put on my very first gala fundraiser. When I was hired 20 months ago, it was clear that this event was going to be critical to our fundraising efforts. I had never done anything like this before and neither had my organization. So I needed to learn a lot in a short time, with a very limited (independent non-profit senior center) budget.

I found Red Apple Auctions blog to be a wonderful resource. I purchased three webinar books – Fund A Need, Rockin’ Raffles, and Simple Auction Checkout – and they made a huge difference! I got lots of compliments from my 30-person volunteer committee about how organized and knowledgeable I was. I frequently cited Sherry’s recommendations when one of my committee or Board members had an idea that just wouldn’t work.

Everyone had a fabulous time at the gala and things ran very smoothly.

Bottom line – if everyone pays their pledges – my first time event will net over $130,000! I am amazed by these results and grateful that I found your website! I’m happy to share pictures and testimonial if you would like.

Kirstin Fritz Senior Center, Inc. (Charlottesville, VA)

Sherry, with our 2015 gala now in the books, your suggestions and insights in your Simple Auction CheckoutDVD and book have allowed us to continue to increase the monies raised and have the smoothest checkin/checkout process in town! Thank you!

Denise M. (Birmingham, AL)

Our auction has improved immensely from the training workshop I attended in Chicago, the DVD workbooks we have purchased, the webinars we’ve attended and your great website.